Sri Lanka threatens to expel diplomats

April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka warned Wednesday it may expel foreign diplomats who meddle in the island’s internal affairs and said at least one unnamed envoy was being investigated. The threat comes amid growing international criticism of Sri Lanka’s human rights record and Colombo’s resistance to suggestions that United Nations monitors should be […]

Sri Lanka editor faces death threat

COLOMBO, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan authorities have issued a death threat against a newspaper editor for reporting on military excesses and human rights abuses, journalists and a media rights group said Wednesday. The editor of Colombo’s Daily Mirror, Champika Liyanaarachchi, said defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse, […]

Cup Semi-finalists are on board

RIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 16, 2007 (AFP) – Results and standings in the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup on Tuesday: At Bridgetown, Barbados South Africa bt England by 9 wkts Super Eights standings (played, won, lost, tied, no-result, run-rate, points): Australia 6 6 0 0 0 +2.03 12.0 – qualified for semi-finals New Zealand […]

‘ tag, says Smith

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – South Africa captain Graeme Smith believes his team have finally buried their chokers’ tag after storming into the World Cup semi-finals. The Proteas raced to a nine-wicket victory over England here on Tuesday to join defending champions Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the semi-finals. Australia lead […]

‘ should walk the plank, British press say

LONDON, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher should be sacked after England were dominated by South Africa in Bridgetown, Barbados, ending their hopes of making it to the World Cup semi-finals, much of the British press said on Wednesday.South Africa dismissed England for a paltry 154 before racing to the target […]

Willis calls for Vaughan axe

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Former England captain Bob Willis demanded Michael Vaughan be axed as skipper following the team’s World Cup exit.Willis, now a TV pundit, said coach Duncan Fletcher and chairman of selectors David Graveney should also be removed from their postitions after South Africa’s thumping nine-wicket win condemned Vaughan’s men […]

Sarwan emerges front-runner for West Indies captaincy

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Middle-order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan is all set to be named as the West Indies captain for their next month’s tour of England replacing the under-fire Brian Lara.The enigmatic Lara is likely to face the axe after West Indies’ unimpressive World Cup performance which saw them losing four of […]

‘s Maharoof and Murali torpedo Ireland

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Farveez Maharoof and Muttiah Muralitharan took four wickets each to set up an eight-wicket win against Ireland, who bowed out of the World Cup by making 77 – the sixth lowest total in the competition’s history – here on Wednesday.Maharoof, playing in the side because […]

Maharoof gives Sri Lanka selectors a headache

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka seamer Farveez Maharoof gave Sri Lanka a World Cup semi-final selection headache on Wednesday when he claimed four victims in his team’s Super Eights eight-wicket win over Ireland.Maharoof, playing in the side because of an injury to Lasith Malinga while Dilhara Fernando was rested, made […]

Sterling tops two dollars as greenback under rates pressure

NEW YORK, April 17, 2007 (AFP) – Sterling climbed above the psychological barrier of two dollars Tuesday for the first time since 1992 as data on both sides of the Atlantic suggested future rate movements will hurt the greenback. The British currency benefited from higher-than-expected British inflation data which raised expectations of an interest rate […]

New Zealand dollar hits highest level for quarter century

WELLINGTON , April 18, 2007 (AFP) – The New Zealand dollar hit its highest level against the US currency for 25 years on Wednesday after inflation data reinforced expectations of further interest rate increases. High interest rates have made the New Zealand currency attractive to foreign investors while weakness in the US dollar has also […]

Dollar on the ropes against European currencies

TOKYO, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – The dollar languished at a near 15-year low against the British pound and a two-year trough versus the euro in Asian trade Wednesday as the market bet on further hikes in European interest rates, dealers said.The pound sterling firmed to 2.0074 dollars in Tokyo morning trade from 2.0063 in […]

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